Georgia, Atlanta-based alternative singer/songwriter Rize Michael enters our radar with his new album i can’t wait to know you, always.  The 13-track project is anchored on themes like love, loss, pain and the never-ending search for purpose through the lens of love. Sound-wise, it blends quite a number of genres with an alternative and unique touch.

The first track, “freckled n flushed,” has a nostalgic and warm vibe reminiscent of summer and dives into a journey of love and the power of self assessment. Armed with a unique melodic flow, Michael delivers a smooth performance ripe with profound lines “I done spend sometime away/Took a train so far to get so high just to find my hide away/Took 30 more years and 30 more tears just to put my pride away.” The soundscape is particularly striking and helps set the tone for the rest of the project. This leads into the “intropella,” where Michael shows off his distinct vocal style and then “neptune” featuring Bryon Counts Jr comes into the forefront with its contemporary pop vibe laced with alternative vibes. The mellow grooves, plucky guitars and atmospheric textures form the backdrop for Michael’s heartwarming songwriting. The puppy-love piece sees the singer yearning for that special someone who feels close but still far in the metaphoric sense. “chattahoochee vampires,” featuring Parker Howard, embodies youthful exuberance and celebration of life and “do you do cry?” is a solemn and reflective piece about emotions and the trepidations that come with being in love.

“put me thru” has a pop/rock guitar lead and rises into an upbeat cut that is engaging, but the premise is quite sad. Over the sizzling guitars and head nodding grooves, Michael talks about the cycle of drama a girl put him through, but the resulting pain helped him push through. Joining him on the track is MACTurnUp who shares his thoughts on the matter. On “rockn roll it,” Michael taps into his pop-rock persona and delivers a nostalgic, drenched cut laced with crunchy drums, triumphant electric guitar riffs, and an alluring chorus that plays like a mantra. The tone of the project slows down on ‘hope exists,” featuring Chris X. The track’s production is dynamic, cinematic and bridges the gap between contemporary music with a ballad vibe. Michael shares a tale about what true love is from his perspective and delivers the first half in s spoken word approach before closing it out with soothing melodic runs that tug at the heart.

The last two tracks, “butterfly sneezes” featuring Parker Howard, and “where you go”  bring the project to the perfect close with their distinct sounds and themes. The former blends dreamy bedroom pop with a hip-hop styled groove and bounce, while the latter is a mellow pop/r&b infused cut ripe with sublime textures, alluring melodies and candid songwriting about one sided attraction. Other notable tracks include “things you wouldn’t say” an electroc guitar driven pop/r&b infused track that sees michael teaming with upcoming rapper Shaudie man and together they deliver a touching tale of the push and pull of this thing called love. “bye bye” continues in a similar vein but is punctuated by an acoustic guitar arrangement and plucky bass line underpinned by Michael’s unique vocal runs but the kicker his is power to convey emotions that everyone can feel. “Circle” is another solid jam that unpacks the turmoil of carrying an unjust weight on the heart, and we see Michael pouring his heart on wax with raw, unfiltered sincerity. The track also features fellow artists OGB and Ibo.

Overall,  i can’t wait to know you, always is solid thematically speaking, and the broad range of pop sounds is evident throughout the course of the project. Rize Michael sounds confident in his version of contemporary pop mixed with soft rock and hip-hop. His approach to crafting melodies are unique and his willingness to push the envelope and try new things is commendable as well.